To be so frustrated at single jab policy

[lateforschool]

No other country that has authorised the vaccine for 12 - 16 year olds has decided to only half vaccinate them (one jab).

There is no date for these kids to get the second shot of vaccine - it’s not even sure that they ever will.

And as a result of this half arsed policy, half vaccinated English kids won’t be able to travel to large swathes of Europe or the US without quarantining and then having regular Covid tests every two days if they want to get on a bus or sit in a cafe.

These same European countries take proof of a positive Covid test as equivalent to a vaccine and yet because of being slightly vaccinated UK kids will be far less likely to get Covid (which the government tells us in normally harmless in children) and secure themselves freedom of travel.

I really hesitated to have my kids vaccinated. I did it because we have vulnerable older relatives and friends. but I was sorely tempted just to let them catch it (from one of the 40 positive children in the school last month) just so we could have a bash at spending half term with their dad and sisters in Germans and Italy.

And while maiming about freedom of movement may sound like a luxury - it is a luxury afforded to every fully vaccinated child in Europe - my German sister in law has spent the summer cruising around Italy Spain and France with her fully vaccinated kids.

I do not understand why the UK has a different policy to everywhere else? How is risk being calculated? I certainly don’t believe the UK is wiser or better at calculating medical risk than elsewhere. On what grounds are these decisions being made?

Today there are stories in the press bemoaning the very low take up among kids. But It’s no wonder with all these mixed messages and without the incentive of travel - particularly odd as usually vaccination is encouraged by promising greater freedoms to the vaccinated eg via Covid passports.

AIBU to think this under 16 vax programme is an ill thought out policy ?

And also to wonder why more people aren’t making more of a fuss about it.

Your single vaccinated child can travel to many places, you just have to pay for a PCR test before travel.

I agree completely

They’re not being stopped from travelling though; you just don’t want to fork out any extra money.

No. They have to quarantine on arrival. And then take a PCR test every two days to go i any public place including cafes or public transport.

@Star81

Your single vaccinated child can travel to many places, you just have to pay for a PCR test before travel.

This is incorrect. For countries like Italy Germany and cities like New York They have to quarantine on arrival. And then once out of quarantine test every two days do they can get a vaccine passport to enter any public place including cafes and buses

@seaandsandcastles

They’re not being stopped from travelling though; you just don’t want to fork out any extra money.

It’s more than this. To visit their family in Italy for one week over half term they will have to quarantine for five days out of seven and then even if they did have more time they would need to test every two days so they could get a passport To enter public spaces like bars and trains and museums and buses

YANBU. I agree with every single word you’ve said.

‘Here’s a policy we haven’t really thought through but sounds great for the first 5 minutes until someone notices how many flaws there are with it. Let’s push it through and look like we’re doing something’.

It’s a joke. I’m sorry you won’t be able to see your family as planned

And yeah, it’s not the cost. It’s the blanket quarantine rule that applies to anyone who isn’t fully vaccinated on arrival to certain countries - like Germany where the OP needs to go.

It’s extremely frustrating I agree! Especially when there’s nothing you can do to get a second vaccine for them, should you choose.

I suppose it depends on your priorities.

If the only reason your child is being vaccinated is so they can go abroad more easily then this policy doesn't help that and could as you say actually hinder it, in that they are less likely to catch Covid and therefore have the 90 day window in which a Covid cert could be used.

If they are being vaccinated to reduce the risk of getting/transmitting the Covid virus then it does fulfil that requirement as it has been proven that the vaccine reduces severity of symptoms and reduces transmit ability.

It's similar to many other decisions you have to make in life ie I have 2 job offers, 1 will give me better pay, more opportunities, the other will give me better work life balance as it's closer and less hours.

I have no sympathy. Kids shouldn't be getting vaccinated for a virus which will do them no harm.

You can think vaccination is wrong but that doesn’t mean you can’t at the same time see that the uk governments policy doesn’t make sense.

I agree with the op too. But then I've always thought this government's vaccine rollout worked more by luck than judgement, so I am not surprised at all we are at this point with our children

If they only need one jab then the other can go to people who do need it.

@Mojoj

I have no sympathy. Kids shouldn't be getting vaccinated for a virus which will do them no harm.

There are two issues. 1. Whether you think children should be offered the vacccine (you think no) and 2) whether you think the governments policy makes sense (given that they are offering children the vaccine). you have no sympathy for any country vaccinating children (all of Europe) or anyone choosing to vaccinate ether children - but that’s not really relevant to the AIBu which is more about the government being half arsed.

@Coffeey

If they only need one jab then the other can go to people who do need it.

Ok. Fair enough. Has the government committed to giving second jabs to people i controls unable to get the vaccine? Does it have a shortage of vaccine such that it needs to only give one jab to save the rest for elsewhere. Perhaps. But I havenot seen the government say this anywhere. Have you?

@HalfShrunkMoreToGo fully vaccinated kids don’t need recovery certificates or anything like that. They’d just use their vaccine passes which don’t go out of the date within 90 days.

In your example, both options give you a salary at the end of the month. They are both jobs. Partially vaccinating teenagers isn’t giving them the opportunity to access travel. Those two cases aren’t comparable.

It’s not about priorities. It’s about being offered half a service which provides partial cover against Covid and looks like will also make things easier for those wanting to travel, but in reality it just complicates it all.

“Countries unable to get the vaccine…”

[quote EileenGC]@HalfShrunkMoreToGo fully vaccinated kids don’t need recovery certificates or anything like that. They’d just use their vaccine passes which don’t go out of the date within 90 days.

In your example, both options give you a salary at the end of the month. They are both jobs. Partially vaccinating teenagers isn’t giving them the opportunity to access travel. Those two cases aren’t comparable.

It’s not about priorities. It’s about being offered half a service which provides partial cover against Covid and looks like will also make things easier for those wanting to travel, but in reality it just complicates it all.[/quote]
Exactly

@Coffeey

If they only need one jab then the other can go to people who do need it.

Do UK kids have some supernatural immune system that means they only need one dose?

Every other country is giving them two doses. For all we know they don’t even need one. But if you’re vaccinating them, do it properly and give them maximum protection + the same privileges as the adult population have.

"And also to wonder why more people aren’t making more of a fuss about it."

Ds won't be travelling probably ever.

Kids and adults will manage just fine without travelling the world. The only people making a fuss are the ones who think their pfb should be allowed anywhere they want whether it harms others or not.

@HowardNoir

Kids and adults will manage just fine without travelling the world. The only people making a fuss are the ones who think their pfb should be allowed anywhere they want whether it harms others or not.

So some kids should just not see their families who live abroad for what, 5 years? 10? How long is acceptable?

Some people live alone in a specific country. All their friends and relatives are in a different one. It won’t harm anyone anymore to allow these people to see their loved ones every now and then.

We’re not talking about a fortnight in Tenerife for goodness’ sake.

My comment is not incorrect. Many European countries will let them in with a negative PCR test. I’m in one just now and that’s all we had to do.

You seem very angry at the UK policy but then again not many countries have gone for all having the same policy either which is what makes travelling so difficult. All countries have done what they think is right for them. Even if the government hadn’t gone with vaccinating 12 and above - against the JCVI recommendation- we would still be in the same position.

The OP has specified Germany and Italy @Star81.

In Germany the kids would have to stay in quarantine for 10 days. And then top up Covid passes.

In Italy, 5 days + release tests. Ditto Covid passes.

Not everyone has family in Spain or goes on holiday to Portugal.

The optimistic interpretation is that they haven't decided for sure, and as the UK is second jabbing at 8-12 weeks they don't have to quite yet.

In one sense it's a neat trade off between most of the (immediate) protection coming from dose 1 and most of the side effect risk for that group coming from dose 2, but it forgets older folks were reminded to get their second dose for long lasting protection and, as you say, the practical reality is that when countries are aligned there is less friction with international travel.

Maybe the press that caters for middle and upper income readers will be full of tales of columnists having half term trips being ruined in a few weeks.

I thought it's all about personal responsibility now. In that case why can't they make dose 2 available for people who want it? (And even follow other countries and work towards doses for 5-11?)